NEW ORLEANS -- A marsh fire near Michoud in New Orleans East is continuing to burn and sending smoke throughout the New Orleans metro area. Smoke has been reported as far as the West Bank.

According to the fire department, the fire is burning just below the surface of the marsh in an area that is completely inaccessible to fire equipment.

Using an airplane, fire officials located the fire approximately 1500 – 2000 yards north of Chef Menteur Highway, just west of Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge. New pictures from the New Orleans Fire Department shows smoke billowing from the marsh.

"Fires such as these, in uninhabited areas, are usually just allowed to burn themselves out," said a statement from the NOFD.The fire is in an extremely isolated area and poses no threat to citizens or property, according to fire officials.

National Weather Service forecasters have told officials in Jefferson Parish that north winds and other weather factors could cause the smoke and ash to stay close to the ground, and the forecasters warn conditions could worsen late Sunday and into Monday morning.